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If you live within 50 miles of Flint, Michigan, you’re probably anxiously awaiting the Buick Open. This year marks the 50th anniversary of this popular event. To commemorate that, the city’s newspaper – The Flint Journal – is asking people to email their questions about the event. They will then try to find the answers and print them in a special week-long edition of the newspaper during the popular golf event.

As I’ve mentioned before, I worked for Curtis Flowers. That was the flower company in Flint that supplied all of the beautiful arrangements and plants you see on the course during the event. On the last day (clean-up day), we had to sit around and wait until the crowds died down before beginning our mission. During that time, we came up with our own questions to ponder. Here are a few of those questions:

• How did the “pink shirts for guys” trend ever gain popularity?
• Why are all these girls wearing a skirt to an outdoor event where the only place to sit is on the grass?
• Who is going to get drunk this year and jump in the golf course’s pond?
• How many people are going to steal our flowers this year?
• How much beer is going to be consumed this weekend?
• Is the smell coming from those Porta-Potties normal?
• Is Tiger Woods going to win again this year?

Whether you can make it to this year’s event or not, visit your local Buick dealer and see the newest models on the lot. Just like Tiger Woods, they’re sure to excite!

If you’re like me, you don’t know the first thing when it comes to car repairs. I know where the gas nozzle goes, how to change a flat and how to check the oil. Anything other than that and I’m lost.

But a new automobile website makes car repairs easier than ever. This website – DriverSide.com – has many more features than that, though. Become a free member of the site and here’s what you will find.

Pick Your Vehicle
The first step to utilizing this website is to choose the vehicle you drive. With that information, you can then browse the many services and the information available for your car. The website mainly collects information from other users so the information you get is first-hand knowledge from other car owners just like you.

Service Your Vehicle
In this section of the website, you can download an owner’s manual, look for vehicle recalls and many other things that help you keep your car maintained correctly. You can even keep track of your maintenance schedule do you don’t miss (or forget) an oil change or some other important procedure.

What’s Your Car Worth?
You can find the value of your car in various conditions in this section of the website. It works like Kelley Blue Book, but you can do it all from this “one-stop shop.” It also has a place where you can list your vehicle for sale.

Parts and Accessories
Here is where you can find the parts you’ll need to do simple and even some not-so-simple repairs. From tires and rims to MP3 connections, this is a complete list of things you need to do it yourself.

Explore and Buy
Are you looking to purchase a particular car? DriverSide.com has resources so you can research several different models in various conditions so you can find the right one for you.

This is an extremely helpful website for all stages of car ownership. How convenient is it to do your research from the comfort of your home and then go to you local Buick dealer knowing exactly what you want? Give it a try today!

Are you ready to give up your car and start walking everywhere? That’s exactly what some cities are asking its residents to do. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal discusses how Dallas, Texas wants to become a more “pedestrian-friendly” city.

In recent years, Dallas has created several “mixed-use” neighborhoods that include a large group of homes and businesses so residents need not travel far for their daily needs. But there are only a few such neighborhoods because of the regulations and bureaucratic red tape. But Dallas officials want to make it easier and more affordable for developers to build these developments.

The new dedication to pedestrians and walkers comes a year after Dallas was ranked 25th out of 30 major U.S. metropolitan cities for walkability. Since then, officials have been working on plans to bring more services to neighborhoods and reduce the number of cars on the roads. Another initiative includes “congestion pricing,” a plan that would charge drivers for using major local roads and thoroughfares.

Another major factor that brought about these discussions was the gas prices. The same survey that found Dallas being one of the least pedestrian-friendly cities in the nation also found that $4.50 for a gallon of gas was the “breaking point” for a large number of residents. And since Dallas has one of the worst “commuter pain indexes” in the country, residents are going to want more options that so they don’t have to get gas as often as they do now.

Who knows? Once these new “mixed-use” neighborhoods are built, Dallas residents may be able to walk to the grocery store, movie theater, Italian restaurant and even a nearby Buick dealer for all their needs. I wish my town was more like that!

If you’re like me, you like to get the most from your fuel. You also want to take care of your car’s engine and make sure it lasts as long as possible. That’s why I used to pay the extra 20 cents a gallon and put premium fuel in my vehicles that were at least 10 years old.

But if you’re still doing that, it may not be necessary. In fact, there’s a difference between “recommending” premium fuel and actually “requiring” it. And if you realize the difference, you can save yourself hundreds of dollars at the fuel pumps each year.

Most of the time, if the manufacturer simply recommends premium fuel instead of regular, it’s not going to damage your engine. The only thing that will happen is that your car is going to run less efficiently than it would with the lesser octane. But with the difference in price, you’ll still save money every time you put gas in your car. With prices hovering around $5 a gallon for premium, you can sacrifice some efficiency for a lower price.

However, if you have a sports car with a supercharger or turbocharger, premium fuel is essential. You can get away with the cheaper gas, but it’s going to wreak havoc on your engine and cause some costly damages. Unfortunately, in the case of performance engines, you’re still stuck with the expensive stuff.

Keep that in mind when you visit your local Buick dealer. Those cars run just fine on regular fuel. Test drive one today and see how smooth of a ride they give. You’ll fall in love before you leave the lot.

Everybody always says that the only two things that are certain in life are death and taxes. After record prices for everything in recent months, I’d like to add one more thing to that list – higher costs.

In addition to higher costs for gas, car parts and insurance, other costs of car ownership are going up, too. And that means higher prices all around. Were you thinking of renting a car this summer for that family vacation? Be prepared to spend about $45 for a car that would have cost $31 last year. Mechanics are charging more for their services and parking garages have even increased their prices. It’s almost like everybody’s trying to squeeze every buck they can from motorists!

Currently, gas prices are still the costliest part of owning a car. Fuel accounts for about 30 percent of a car owner’s expense. Depreciation and insurance are the next largest factors with maintenance and repairs accounting for about 10 percent of the cost. But that price is going up, too. AAA estimated that it will cost motorists an average of $8,121 to operate their vehicles in 2008 compared to $7,823 in 2007.

There is one bright spot, though. Although insurance rates have increased in recent years, the rates are likely to decrease with people driving less. Who knew that higher gas prices would have a positive effect?

One way to deflect the rising costs of repairs and fuel is to visit your local Buick dealer and get a new or certified pre-owned fuel-efficient vehicle. Try one today and start saving money even sooner than you thought!

There probably aren’t too many people who have a credit limit high enough to buy a new car. There are probably some that have a limit that would allow them to buy a used car, though. But is it ever a good idea to buy a car with your credit card? Some experts say it’s not always the worst idea.

Many credit card companies are offering great deals. And even though I’m not an advocate of going deep in debt with your credit cards, there are some instances in which this could be a great idea. If, for instance, you have a credit card that doesn’t charge interest for the first year. Or you might even have one that charges very little interest. If you can pay the balance off within that first year, you’ve basically financed a vehicle without paying any interest at all.

But that’s not all. Some cards, like Discover and others, offer “cash back rewards” for every dollar you spend. If you’re spending thousands of dollars for one purchase, you could get a few hundred (or even more) back to apply toward your balance or simply for spending. Imagine how far ahead you’d be if you had an interest-free credit card that also offers you cash back!

If you bring your credit card (or cards) to your local Buick dealer, ask the sales representative about simply “charging” your new or certified pre-owned vehicle. When done right, you can be both financially responsible and spend less at the same time.

Yesterday, we discussed four reasons why we should be happy when gas prices reach $8 a gallon. Today, we’re going to discuss the last four reasons as explained by Chris Pummer on The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch website.

5. Developments in Mass Transportation
With gas at $8 a gallon, would you look for more bus stops and cab drivers around your area? I know I would. And if gas was that expensive, mass transit would be much more popular than it is now. That would create new developments in the mass transit system.

6. New Housing Options
Most people wouldn’t bat an eye when you tell them you commute 50 or more miles to work each day. But with more expensive gas, driving to work each week might cost you more than the money in your paycheck. As a result, more developers would create housing developments closer to cities and communities so people have fewer miles to travel for work and other necessities. In short, it would reduce “urban sprawl.”

7. Less Household Debt Nationwide
In our “instant gratification” society, everybody wants to have a new car. But for some, that’s not good enough. They want the best car they can get. Many times, that means a luxury SUV or something similar. Unfortunately, people go deep in debt to buy these nice vehicles. But if they have to pay $200 to fill up their gas tanks, they’ll undoubtedly look for smaller cars that are more efficient.

8. Making History
Can you imagine the worldwide impact if we could eliminate our dependence on crude oil? That would just be amazing. It would also be a huge step for mankind! And we might just be the generation that figures out how to accomplish that.

While you’re thinking about gas prices, visit your local Buick dealer and get a fuel-efficient car today! There’s never been a better time to find a better car that meets your financial and fuel-saving needs.

I was reading an interesting article last week. It was by Chris Pummer on The Wall Street Journal’s MarketWatch website. The writer gives eight reasons why higher gas prices would be good for the United States.

At first, I was appalled at such a concept. But after reading his logic, I tend to agree. Here are four of the eight reasons (the next four will come tomorrow). Read these carefully and then tell us what you think about this idea.

1. The Death of the Internal Combustion Engine
According to the columnist, today’s engines aren’t much different from the ones they used over 100 years ago. But with new technologies and everything else that automakers have come up with, we should be able to move away from gas-powered engines and into something new and more efficient. When that happens, we can depend less on the oil companies.

2. Economic Improvements
If our gas cost $8 a gallon, car manufacturers would be running around trying to find a less expensive alternative. That’s because people would be looking for alternatives or they would just stay home. This could create more manufacturing jobs and funding for more efficient products.

3. Less Dependence on the Middle East
Other than oil, does the United States benefit from having a relationship with the Middle East? Our partnership with that region in exchange for oil has only created more problems for our nation and the world. If we had $8 fuel prices, it might force us to find other places to drill and reduce our independence on nations that hate us.

4. Who Would Listen to Meanies?
People like Hugo Chavez and Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have an inflated sense of importance on the world stage because of their newly-found oil wealth. If the United States and other major countries didn’t do business with these types of people, we could reduce their influence and importance in the world.

We haven’t seen $8 fuel prices yet, but some experts say it’s on the horizon. Has there ever been a better time to get a new fuel-efficient vehicle from your local Buick dealer. Until they come out with fuel alternatives, we can’t get around paying the prices at the pump. But you can make the most of each drop that you buy.

Who wants to fill their car up anymore? If you have a car that’s a few years old, you’re probably going through fuel like water. I know I only get about 180 miles to the tank with my older vehicle.

That’s probably why more and more motorists are running out of gas on the side of the road. They don’t want to pay $75 or $100 to fill up their cars and they’re simply trying to get the most from their tank. But those “few more miles” are causing people to call AAA or their friends to bring them a gallon of gas.

In Missouri alone, the state’s Department of Transportation workers have noticed more people on the side of the road due to empty gas tanks. In fact, Motorist Assist, MoDOT’s program that helps stranded motorists, gave away more than 360 gallons of gas to people in May who were trying to milk their gas tank or relied on the inaccurate car’s computer system to tell them when they needed more gas.

The 364 gallons of gas represents a 25 percent increase over last year. The state uses fuel taxes and vehicle licensing fees to pay for this service. Unfortunately, as with any program with good intentions, many motorists are taking advantage of the program.

Other states, like Kansas, do not have a program in which road workers bring gas to stranded motorists. Instead, their workers will simply take a stranded driver to a nearby gas station where they can buy their own fuel.

Don’t be one of your state’s stranded motorists. Visit your local Buick dealer and get a new fuel-efficient vehicle that makes the most out of each gallon of fuel. Your tank will last longer and you’ll have more peace of mind with every trip you take!

Gas prices are going up. Insurance isn’t getting cheaper. And the overall cost of owning a car isn’t getting any better, either. Now there’s a story about car repairs getting more expensive this summer, too.

Automotive parts are getting more expensive with gas prices. Batteries, tires and everything else all depend on fuel to get from one place to another. And in order to maintain a profit, the auto parts companies need to increase their prices to pay for gasoline.

The major problem with this is that many motorists are postponing their preventative maintenance and minor repairs. That often means bigger problems in the future. If you postpone an oil change, you could end up doing more damage to your vehicle and incurring more costs. Postponing a tire rotation could cause uneven wear on the treads and cause you to need new tires sooner. And just think about the damage you could do to your car if you fail to replace your brakes as soon as they start showing signs of wear and tear!

In the case of batteries, mechanics are charging up to 50 percent more for these necessary items. But they’re not just doing that to gouge customers. The battery cases are made of rubber. Oil is a vital part of rubber, causing the price to go up. In addition, the metals in the battery are pricier this year, too.

If you want to forget about these worries, visit your local Buick dealer and get a new or certified pre-owned vehicle. With an extensive GM warranty, you can drive all summer with peace of mind and save money at the same time!